Internship a Big-League Experience

Interviewing NFL Hall of Famer and TV host Len Dawson and working for MLB Hall of Famer Jim Palmer on a marketing plan were part of the game for Michael Miller ’14 this summer.

Miller interned with Northbrook, Ill.-based Celebrity Focus Inc., a company uniting businesses and agencies with celebrities for specific advertising and marketing projects. His job included preparing executive summaries for campaigns targeting both Major League Baseball and Stand Up to Cancer. In addition to the two Hall of Famers, he also worked with agents for players including Eli and Peyton Manning and broadcaster Phil Simms, team marketing and public relations personnel, and corporate CEOs.

“All these conversations helped me develop strong connections to start my professional career once I graduate from Bradley,” Miller said. “This experience was not only exciting but taught me a number of different skills, including how to give presentations and how to view proposals from the talent and business points of view.”

He noted current New York Yankees manager and Peoria native Joe Girardi worked in the same position at the company when he was attending Northwestern. “Having that to look to, I wanted to do more in my time at Celebrity Focus than the manager of the Yankees.”

A native of Buffalo Grove, Ill., Miller credited his Bradley classes and connections for boosting his skills and aiding with the internship. “The sports communication major taught me the landscape of the sports field and how to deal with people professionally,” he explained. “Some of my best marketing ideas came from my class projects.”

He added that an Alpha Epsilon Phi fraternity brother Daniel Bachrach ’15, the son of Celebrity Focus CEO Ric Bachrach, told him about the company and the internship. With the goal of a career in sports marketing, public relations, and branding, Miller said his experience brings that into focus: “One of the best lessons I learned from my interviews was to be open to opportunities that come your way.”